Travel Q&A: Romantic getaway ideas for the mid-Atlantic

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These are questions from readers that were answered by travel experts at the Washington Post:

Q: My husband and I want a weekend away from the kids in September or October in the mid-Atlantic area. Key words: romantic and great views from the room.

A: At Savage River Lodge in Frostburg, Md., you can rent your own cabin with your own deck in the woods. The Inn at Willow Grove in Orange, Va., has nice views, especially from the suites in the relatively new (although pricey) Overlook Cottage. Also, the Inverness Suite at the Hamanassett Bed & Breakfast in Chester Heights, Delaware County, has a fabulous porch across the front of the house.

Q: The Federal Aviation Administration has listed airspace restrictions for most U.S. aircraft flying through potentially hostile airspace. Do partners of U.S. airlines respect those restrictions?

A: Foreign airlines aren’t required to follow FAA advisories, unless they’re over American airspace. Airline code-sharing is a marketing arrangement between two airlines, and although it must be approved by the U.S. government, I’m not aware of those contracts extending to a national carrier when it comes to observing FAA restrictions. Let’s just say that after the Malaysia Airlines incident, every airline is going to be much more vigilant about flying over a war zone.

Q: The passport cards for our children (ages 7 and 13) expire in January. Is it easy to renew for minors, or will we have to go through the entire process all over again?

A: You’ll have to do it all over again — accompany them to the renewal facility and apply in person, because they’re under 16. You might also consider getting passports for your kids; the State Department recommends passports for all traveling Americans, plus you can suddenly fly with them to Paris for the weekend.

Q: I’m heading to Burma (also known as Myanmar) during the rainy season (September/​October). Is it going to be a downpour with washed-out roads or just rainy in some areas?

A: You’ll miss the peak rains, and the wet season starts to taper off in October. You’ll probably experience daily rainfalls, but not days and days of rain. And the roads in the major cities and around the tourist attractions are pretty well-developed, so you probably won’t get stranded.

Q: We’re going to London for our 10th anniversary in October. Where should we stay? We want something very nice (no kids) and convenient to the Tube.

A: One of the posher hotels might get you away from the kids: the Goring, Savoy, Lanesborough, Claridge’s, Chesterfield Mayfair, etc. A few of those are in the Mayfair area, which is very Tube-convenient. Or rent a really nice flat.

Q: My family’s planning a trip to Philadelphia, and we’re looking for a hotel within walking distance of the train station as well as some of the main attractions.

A: The train station isn’t terribly centrally located; from there, it’s about a mile-long walk to a decent location in the city. I stayed at the Latham Hotel, about a 20-minute walk from the Amtrak station. It’s about another 20 minutes by foot to the main attractions such as Independence Hall, but you can also take a quick bus or train there.

Q: I’ll be going to Warsaw and Budapest this September with my 9-month-old son. What are some child-friendly things to do with him?

A: Most kid-friendly activities — water parks, playgrounds, museums, etc. — will be aimed at slightly older children. We went to Warsaw when my kids were very small (ages 3 and 5) and took them to all the places we wanted to see — and they were perfectly happy. Take a look at some websites with ideas for kid-friendly places and activities. Warsaw Tourism, for one (www.warsawtour.pl/​en) has a section on Warsaw for Kids.